It’s a great day for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and supporters of demand response. Today, the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION v. ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY ASSOCIATION ET AL., upholding the FERC’s authority to regulate wholesale demand response as well as FERCs method of compensating demand response
Demand Response
Ever Wondered … What’s Uplift?
Before the chill of last winter’s polar vortex, many in the industry may not have even heard the term uplift payments. If you are still wondering exactly how it works, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) has a docket and workshop for you (Docket No. AD14-14-000). At this docket you will find an educational staff…
Massachusetts DPU Says Time of Use Pricing Will Be the Default for All Customers
In a recent order, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (“Department” or “DPU”) stated that time varying rates are an essential component of grid modernization. As a result, the design of basic service must change to incorporate time of use (“TOU”) rates for all customers, including residential customers. The Department noted that in 2013, the…
NIST Framwork 3.0 is Coming! The Framework and Roadmap for Smart Grid Interoperability Standards
Later this year, NIST expects to release a draft of the Framework and Roadmap for Smart Grid Interoperability Standards (“Framework”) document for a formal 60-day public comment period and the final version of the document is planned for publication in the first half of 2014. However, those attending the SGIP Inaugural Meeting received an advanced…
DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Demand response, energy efficiency and renewable energy all play a role in the development of the smart grid. Given the services they offer, I thought the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) deserves a shout out. I suspect many are not aware of the free technical expertise and information the…
DOE and Electric Industry Collaborate on Smart Grid Customer Engagement Guide
Utilities service territories are unique in many ways, including geography and culture. Despite the differences, there are benefits gained from studying the experiences of peers. Voices of Experience|Insights on Smart Grid Customer Engagement provides practical advice from utilities that have implemented smart grid projects to educate and engage their customers. It’s an effort to capture the…
Demand Response 2.0 and Smart Grid 2.0: The Conversation Continues
With smart grid events being offered almost daily, unless your day job is to attend seminars, a vetting of the agenda and presenters is critical. The Association for Demand Response & Smart Grid, now simply known as ADS, is celebrating its 10th anniversary and lived up to expectations this week with the commencement of its…
Dan Delurey Discusses DR, Smart Grid and the National Town Meeting
I am looking forward to the National Town Meeting on Demand Response & Smart Grid July 9-11, 2013. It is one event I enjoy attending as it typically provides a wealth of information about these important topics. I am pleased to offer readers a glimpse into the National Town Meeting as I recently had the…
NERC’s 2012 Summer Reliability Assessment Says Resources Generally Sufficient to Meet Summer Peak Demands Amidst Concerns with ERCOT and California
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s (NERC) 2012 Summer Reliability Assessment finds most of North America has sufficient resources available to meet summer peak demands, however, planning reserve margins in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) assessment area are projected to be below the NERC Reference Margin Level, the threshold by which resource adequacy…
Lone Star State Considers Smart Meter Opt-Out
I said 2011 was the year of the opt-out, but based on a couple of recent Commission orders, 2011 may have been a preamble. Texas, a state known for a robust competitive electric market and with millions of smart meters already installed, has decided to conduct an investigation to formally address the opt-out issue. When…